I HAD A LYMPHOMA/22

Updated on January 18, 2011

INTRATHECAL BLUES

Monday 17 January was designated as "BLUE MONDAY". This is the day regarded as the most generally depressing day of the year. Not then the best day to be5 days into an Intrathecal cycle and certainly not the third of four in total.

To explain. As readers will know from previous information, the INTRATHECAL Lumbar Puncture injections are designed to enter the Spinal Cord direct and progress thus to the Cerebral areas to provide protection for those key areas from any lurking or dormant adverse cells . Previous injections brought on key side effects which, considering the way my body had dealt with the CHOP Chemotherapy treatments was both a surprise and a shock to both me and my system.After the first I suffered intense headaches as well as a drop in energy which were more controlled in the second by the removal of more spinal fluid at injection time, but intensified the nerve ending problems in fingers and toes as well as affecting wrists,ankles and thighs. The pattern established was that the side effects took 24/48 hours to manifest themselves and gradually subsided after 8 days or so. Thus, by the time the next Intrathecal was due, normality had been briefly restored.

At injection time I discussed this with Doctor and Senior Nurse and it transpired that as the number of treatments developed, residuals from the previous injections were still present and thus the possibility of increased effects was not to be ignored. So it has proved. The intense headaches have been averted but I Am conscious that my brain area is under some pressure compared to the usual. Once again, I feel as if I have someone else"s head on my shoulders to some extent. All the fingers, toes, wrists, ankle and thigh problems are back to annoy me but by far the biggest effect this time has been the drain on energy. In fact, I spent most of "Blue Monday" horizontal like a couch potato, watching T V and dozing off from time to time. I was indeed glad when it was time for bed! The symptoms had built since last Friday for 4 days and today seem a little less severe but still a nuisance. Maybe the time of year affected my PMA somewhat as it is truly a dismal time of year, although today the sun is out and brightens the spirit.

I am invoking PMA to count down to Thursday, a week on from the injection in the belief that from then on symptoms will lessen till the next injection due a week from then. I am resigned then to a repeat dose of symptoms, anything less to be counted a bonus with also the knowledge that that then will be as bad as it gets, for there will be no more to come afterwards and thus a general period of recovery will truly take over.

The irony of it all, of course, is that these injections are preventative and causing significant discomfort, whereas the 8 full CHOP treatments had little or no side effects to worry about. At the same time prevention is always better than cure, as I Keep trying to tell my body which at this time is clearly disappointed with me after it had reacted so well to the main treatment to remove the T-Cell Lymphoma. My apologies to my body but it was really out of my hands!

Moving On.

As indicated above, the next {and final} treatment at my Hospital is on 27 Jan. That is the day No 1 Son flies off to Namibia for a Cricket Tour with MCC. No 2 son goes to India in early Feb to coach the U25"s Good for some but not, I fear for me, as we have yet to hear from the good Professor Goldstone about the high dose Chemo next prescribed for prevention. I have been consulting more of my friends and valued sources on this and one such, who has experience and wisdom has urged me to counsel said Prof as to whether a break of 8/10 months prior to undergoing it may be beneficial as it would allow the immune system to rebuild before the further assault. It really is a quandary and I wish we could get the appointment set to discuss matters and have clear decisions made. This factor does mess with PMA as it is impossible to focus forward until a clear decision is arrived at as to what is to happen and when! Thus, for the present, I am reducing my focus to deal purely with the current problem counting down to Thursday and the hoped for lessening of symptoms and return of some, if not all my energy, albeit briefly till INTRATHECAL 4.At least, uncomfortable as I feel at the moment, I have the comfort of knowing it is not abnormal and is just something to be got through. Nobody ever said it would be all plain sailing, so really I can count my blessings genuinely.

Comments 2 comments

I had Hodgkins lymphoma 13 years ago and have been okay since. I sympathize with what you are going through. There is hope. However, my experience with the medical system was not great and I urge you to look at alternative remedies to strengthen your immune system to help you get through this ordeal and make sure it doesn't come back. There is lots of great information about nutritional supplements out there and I hope you are researching the many promising supplements that are available.